The dust has all but settled from the 2025 NBA free agency, making it surprising that former Portland Trail Blazers guard Malcolm Brogdon has yet to find a landing spot. Brogdon was the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year two years ago with the Boston Celtics and still has plenty of juice left at 32 years old, making him a top remaining free agent.
Malcolm Brogdon is going to be a steal in free agency
Last season with the Washington Wizards, Brogdon averaged 12.7 points, 4.1 assists, and 3.8 rebounds per game on 43/29/88 shooting splits. That was a down year by his standards, especially in the shooting department, with Brogdon finishing above 40 percent from beyond the arc the previous two years (including a team-high 41.2 percent with the Blazers in 2023-24).
Injuries certainly played a role in his down year, as Brogdon played just 24 games for the Wizards. Unfortunately, signing Brogdon doesn't come without risk, especially at this stage of his career. Brogdon has averaged 58.25 games played in his past four seasons. However, this deep into free agency, there's no such thing as a perfect target.
Of the remaining options, Brogdon is the best floor-rasier available. He's a steady guard that doesn't get sped up or force the issue too much -- exactly what teams should value in a backup point guard. If he can remain relatively healthy, Brogdon presents a tremendous buy-low opportunity for those who believe in a bounce-back season.
Which teams should pursue Malcolm Brogdon?
It's easy to make a case for any team in need of a point guard to add Brogdon. He's proven to be valuable as a calming veteran presence for rebuilding teams such as Portland and Washington. But with a limited window, it makes more sense for Brogdon to join a contender as a potential piece to put them over the top.
NBA insider Jake Fischer recently proposed the Minnesota Timberwolves as a landing spot for Brogdon. Minnesota has young backcourt talent, including Rob Dillingham and Terrence Shannon Jr., but is also in a win-now position. With a declining Mike Conley, who is now 38, Brogdon could be an ideal fit to bridge the gap between the two timelines.
"I think Minnesota still stands as a really good situation for Malcolm Brogdon and one that he's been monitoring -- one that the Wolves have checked in on. I'm not making a prediction, but I think that's a good situation for Malcolm Brogdon," Fischer said.
Whether it's Minnesota or another contender, teams should absolutely be trying to target Brogdon. He's managed to make an impact everywhere he's gone. He has shown enough throughout his underrated career for a team to take a low-risk flier on his health and a resurgent season.